The Descent of Man

and kept from the use of spirits. He attributes
this, in great part, to the undoubted fact that
the men greatly exceed the women in number;
but he does not know whether this is due to a
failure of female offspring, or to more females
dying during early youth. The latter alternative,
according to all analogy, is very improbable.
He adds that "infanticide, properly so called,
is not common, though very frequent recourse
is had to abortion." If Dr. Coulter is correct
about infanticide, this case cannot be advanced
in support of Colonel Marshall's view.
From the rapid decrease of the reclaimed natives,
we may suspect that, as in the cases lately
given, their fertility has been diminished from
changed habits of life.
I had hoped to gain some light on this subject
from the breeding of dogs; inasmuch as in most
breeds, with the exception, perhaps, of greyhounds,
many more female puppies are destroyed
than males, just as with the Toda infants.